Obituary for Eleanore "Ellie" G. Root (Yerger)
Eleanore “Ellie” Root, long-time resident of Ephrata, passed away peacefully on June 7, 2019, at Maple Farms Nursing Center, after a courageous battle with Lewy Body Dementia.
Born in 1942 in Reading, PA, Ellie was a ball of energy and a force to be reckoned with from the start. Blessed with wanderlust, she had a love of travel and was fortunate to have explored widely throughout her life. Some of her most notable treks were to China, Alaska, Hawaii, the Caribbean, and several trips to Europe. She took numerous trips across the United States with friends and family members, quite often packing up her grandchildren for a last minute adventure. Nothing was more important to Ellie than her family, and she spent a great deal of time attending their activities, games, and a yearly family vacation to the beach full of chaos, fun, and laughter.
Ellie received a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Penn State University in 1984, a Certification in Driver’s Education, and a Master’s of Science in Education from Wilkes University in 2005. Known affectionately as Mama Root by her students, she was a substitute teacher throughout Lancaster County for 17 years, before serving as a beloved driver’s education teacher and senior class advisor at Cocalico High School. She retired in 2011. In addition to teaching, she was a licensed practical nurse and an entrepreneur, running Seidel’s Photo Service and TJ Sports Den with her husband for more than 28 years. Service was important to Ellie and she served as a Girl Scout leader and neighborhood coordinator for many years. She also taught Sunday School. For several years, she served as a member of the Ephrata Civil Service Commission, and was always one of the most enthusiastic fans at all of her children’s’ and grandchildren’s’ sporting events (of which there were MANY).
She was the proud wife of Richard L. Root for 50 years before his death in 2013. She is the loving mother of four children: Tammy Frey (Steve), Jodi Guild (Andy), Todd (Kelie), and Jeff (Brienna), and the grandmother of seven grandchildren: Mandy Hill (Adam), Abby Frey, Josh Frey (Alexa), Lauren, Maggie, Kennedy, and Madison Root. She also served as a surrogate mother and grandmother throughout her entire life.
Ellie is survived by four sisters, Mary Ludwig, Suzie Pacharis (Gary), Betty Gerhart (James), and Deborah Stohl (Joe), and a brother, Robert Yerger (Elizabeth), along with numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, Paul and Grace (Mogel) Yerger from Angelica.
Family visitation will be held on Thursday, June 20th, from 5 to 7 p.m., at Bergstrasse Evangelical Lutheran Church, 9 Hahnstown Road, Ephrata. A service of remembrance will follow at 7 p.m., with Pastor Jim Goodyear officiating. Interment will be private at the convenience of the family.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Ephrata Area Social Services, 227 N. State Street, Ephrata, PA 17522.
Arrangements by Stradling Funeral Homes, Inc., Akron/Ephrata.
Born in 1942 in Reading, PA, Ellie was a ball of energy and a force to be reckoned with from the start. Blessed with wanderlust, she had a love of travel and was fortunate to have explored widely throughout her life. Some of her most notable treks were to China, Alaska, Hawaii, the Caribbean, and several trips to Europe. She took numerous trips across the United States with friends and family members, quite often packing up her grandchildren for a last minute adventure. Nothing was more important to Ellie than her family, and she spent a great deal of time attending their activities, games, and a yearly family vacation to the beach full of chaos, fun, and laughter.
Ellie received a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Penn State University in 1984, a Certification in Driver’s Education, and a Master’s of Science in Education from Wilkes University in 2005. Known affectionately as Mama Root by her students, she was a substitute teacher throughout Lancaster County for 17 years, before serving as a beloved driver’s education teacher and senior class advisor at Cocalico High School. She retired in 2011. In addition to teaching, she was a licensed practical nurse and an entrepreneur, running Seidel’s Photo Service and TJ Sports Den with her husband for more than 28 years. Service was important to Ellie and she served as a Girl Scout leader and neighborhood coordinator for many years. She also taught Sunday School. For several years, she served as a member of the Ephrata Civil Service Commission, and was always one of the most enthusiastic fans at all of her children’s’ and grandchildren’s’ sporting events (of which there were MANY).
She was the proud wife of Richard L. Root for 50 years before his death in 2013. She is the loving mother of four children: Tammy Frey (Steve), Jodi Guild (Andy), Todd (Kelie), and Jeff (Brienna), and the grandmother of seven grandchildren: Mandy Hill (Adam), Abby Frey, Josh Frey (Alexa), Lauren, Maggie, Kennedy, and Madison Root. She also served as a surrogate mother and grandmother throughout her entire life.
Ellie is survived by four sisters, Mary Ludwig, Suzie Pacharis (Gary), Betty Gerhart (James), and Deborah Stohl (Joe), and a brother, Robert Yerger (Elizabeth), along with numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, Paul and Grace (Mogel) Yerger from Angelica.
Family visitation will be held on Thursday, June 20th, from 5 to 7 p.m., at Bergstrasse Evangelical Lutheran Church, 9 Hahnstown Road, Ephrata. A service of remembrance will follow at 7 p.m., with Pastor Jim Goodyear officiating. Interment will be private at the convenience of the family.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Ephrata Area Social Services, 227 N. State Street, Ephrata, PA 17522.
Arrangements by Stradling Funeral Homes, Inc., Akron/Ephrata.